Heads up about carry on's!

[ducklite]

US Airways is getting ready to install spacers in their overhead bins, so that if your roll-on is too long to fit in the bin with the top facing out, it will need to be gate checked. My guess is that they will leave a couple without spacers to be able to accomodate medical equipment, but they will be reserved until most people are on the plane. It's expected that many other carriers will follow suit,

Don't believe the measurements on your bag--they often don't include the handle and wheels. My 20" American Tourister actually measures out to 23", and is being retired because of this. It barely fits into some overheads in that direction.

I just bought a new TUMI, that has 19.5" inner dimension, and measures to 20" exterior. (The fact that it's ultra lightweight and pink didn't hurt either ) It should have no problem fitting into any overhead except the regionals--but that's a different story anyhow.

Of course it could just be the airlines in cahoots with the luggage companies.

But just be aware, what you were once able to carry-on you will very possibly not be able to in the not so distant future.

Anne

 

[Lewisc]

Thanks for the heads up.

A similar point for people who don't fly much and have old luggage they're using.

Most airlines have lowered the maximum weight to 50 pounds per bag and have size restrictions. Some of the older luggage, particularly brands like Samsonite, may weigh 15-20 pounds empty. Some of the 29" expandable bags will be larger than permitted if you expand the bag. I wound up having to get rid of luggage that wasn't even 10 years old. When I bought them I decided to spend a few extra dollars to get the larger size.

A tipped skycap used to work wonders but in some airports the skycaps are required to weight every bag.

 

[DebbieB]

Anne,

Great news! I'm so tired of seeing people trying to shove huge bags into the overhead.

 

[Donna]

Anne,

Great news! I'm so tired of seeing people trying to shove huge bags into the overhead.

Wow, i love hearing about this. It's about time! When we flew SW a couple weeks ago, we could not believe the size of the bags they were allowing on. They appeared to be BIGGER than the bags that we checked! What makes me mad is, those same people with the huge bags are the ones holding up the aisle traffic because they are trying to force their TOO BIG BAG into a TOO SMALL SPACE!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Most airlines have lowered the maximum weight to 50 pounds per bag

I believe that they all have (US airlines). And from my experience, they are enforcing this too, even if you check your bags with a skycap.

 

[bicker]

Don't believe the measurements on your bag--they often don't include the handle and wheels.

And never include the stretch-factor!

 

[disneynutt1225]

Anne,

Great news! I'm so tired of seeing people trying to shove huge bags into the overhead.

AMEN!!! It amazed me how much stuff people try to cram into those overhead compartments. Not only does it clog up the aisles so you can't get to your seat, but half the time people just take ANY available space and you can't put your own stuff close to where you're sitting.

 

[ducklite]

AMEN!!! It amazed me how much stuff people try to cram into those overhead compartments. Not only does it clog up the aisles so you can't get to your seat, but half the time people just take ANY available space and you can't put your own stuff close to where you're sitting.

That's a major pet peeve of mine--people who are too lazy to take their carryon down the aisle to put above their own head, and stick it in teh first open overhead. I've seen more and more FA's clamp down on this, and remove bags from overheads when no one within a row or two claimed them.

The worst part is that the usual offenders are men who appear to be quite fit to carry their bag a few more feet but either feel entitled or are just damn lazy ignoramouses.

I normally carry on a roll on--now being replaced with an even smaller model, and my camera gear bag. I put the roll on above me and my gear bag at my feet. If I have a handbag with me, it fits into the suitcase, but usually I don't bother.

Anne

 

[Poohs Pal]

that stretch facter can sure be a problem. DD DS and myself were on a flight to orlando and two elderly women and possible the son of one of them boarded. He proceeded to put the carry on's in the overhead bin. 2 fit ok and the 3rd just wouldn't go. This poor man just kept pushing and pulling while these 2 ladies were yaping at him. This poor man actually starting breaking out in a sweat while everyone was staring at him. Finally a FA came and told him he'd have to check the bag. So he start's taking stuff out of the bag and stuffing it in his pants pocket. several time's he would drop an item and get a little he was dropping womens underwear all over the place. He did finally manage to get the bag in the over bin . It was DS first flight and it helped relieve the tension a little, not meaning to be mean but everyone couldn't help but chuckle a liitle. Susan

 

[polly p]

Thanks for the info!

 

[winniedapooh]

Wow, i love hearing about this. It's about time! When we flew SW a couple weeks ago, we could not believe the size of the bags they were allowing on. They appeared to be BIGGER than the bags that we checked! What makes me mad is, those same people with the huge bags are the ones holding up the aisle traffic because they are trying to force their TOO BIG BAG into a TOO SMALL SPACE!

I too am shocked at how much people carry on and the size. No one says anything either.

 

[Jeanne B]

I'm also glad to see at least one airline enforcing this...the last time we flew SW I couldn't believe the amount and size of carry-on luggage people were cramming into the overhead compartments. We always check our luggage and between DH, DD12 and I we only carry on two shoulder bags, our camera bag and my purse and on this trip the compartment above our seats was completely full but we managed to get one of the shoulder bags in a nearby compartment and we had to cram the other one under our seat. I know people worry about their luggage getting lost and others want to get off the plane and not waste time at baggage claim but there is a plane full of people that need a place to put their carry-ons. I think it's up to the passengers to be respectful of the carry-on size limit but it's also up to the airlines to be enforcing the size limit.

 

[NotUrsula]

Don't forget to use the tie-down straps inside your cases. They will help a lot with the stretch factor. DH is always forgetting to use them and his case ends up too fat.

Also, just fyi, most standard rect. rollaboard carryons will fit better into the overhead with the wheels UP rather than down, so flip them over before you try to put them in.

The one problem I do see with spacers is that odd-shaped bags may not fit well into the spaces they create. I have a perfectly legal 19" high wheeled backpack that is about 3" wider than a standard square carryon, but the profile is rounded, not squared.

 

[seashoreCM]

USAir probably has something else up its sleeve, like reserve-able overhead space. An idea that is long overdue.

Dividers are not needed to keep roller boards (sic) oriented properly. All it takes is FA's siding with passengers re-arranging (I don't mean relocating) things in the overhead to obtain a better fit and make oversized items stand out so as to be culled by the FA's a little later.

How can a backpack (or other item) be an inch let alone 3 wider than a standard carry-on and still be carry-on-legal?

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[CarolA]

I just bought a new TUMI, that has 19.5" inner dimension, and measures to 20" exterior. (The fact that it's ultra lightweight and pink didn't hurt either ) It should have no problem fitting into any overhead except the regionals--but that's a different story anyhow.

Of course it could just be the airlines in cahoots with the luggage companies.

But just be aware, what you were once able to carry-on you will very possibly not be able to in the not so distant future.

Anne

Anne,
If you see me in the airport, I am the one with the HOT PINK Victorinox. If I do have to check it there is LITTLE to NO chance that some man will think it's HIS black rollerboard!

 

[NotUrsula]

It's just a different shape, more square than rectangular. The total size isn't bigger, in fact it is smaller. (If I open the expansion zipper it ends up being a cube, but obviously, I don't do that when carrying it onto a plane.)